No room at the inn for tobacco smokers in Maine

From the beginning of next year, Maine will become the first state in the US in which all of its public housing is tobacco smoke free, according to a story by Katharine Q. Seelye for the New York Times.

Smoke-free building sign

The move will affect about 12,000 tenants.

But similar policies are being adopted with increasing frequency across the country as cities move aggressively to restrict tobacco smoking in public places: from bars and restaurants to parks, beaches and vehicles.

From September, Boston will become the biggest city to ban tobacco smoking in its public housing, which serves about 25,000 tenants.

Detroit, San Antonio and Portland, Oregon, already have similar restrictions in place.